Tokelauan

Print

Primary tabs

A language of Tokelau

ISO 639-3
tkl
Alternate Names
Tokelau
User Population

1,160 in Tokelau (2020 UNSD). Total users in all countries: 3,630.

Location

Widespread.

Language Status

6b* (Threatened). De facto language of national identity, only absent from the highest government domains.

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, Samoic-Outlier, Tokelauan
Dialects

Dialect differences among the 3 atolls. Intelligible with Tuvaluan [tvl]. Reportedly similar to Samoan [smo].

Language Use

Also use English [eng].

Language Development

They read the Samoan Bible and some speak some Samoan [smo]. Taught in primary schools. Grammar. NT: 2009.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Tokelauan
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian, traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

Expand All
Collapse All